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Use of Hotels

This section pertains to the use of hotels (including motels) by child and family services agencies for the placement of children. Placing children in apartments and houses as a place of safety is covered in section 1.4.2, Places of Safety. 

Legislation
Policy
Standards

Legislation

Section 1 of The Child and Family Services Act defines a place of safety as any place used for the emergency temporary care and protection of a child including treatment centres. Clause 24(b) of The Child and Family Services Authorities Act gives the Minister of Family Services and Consumer Affairs the duty and power to establish policies and standards for the provision of child and family services.
Clause 19(l) of The Child and Family Services Authorities Act requires child and family services authorities to ensure the development of appropriate placement resources for children. The authorities also have a duty under section 16 of the Child and Family Services Authorities Regulation to ensure their agencies follow standards, practices and procedures and the power under section 28 of the regulation to issue directives.

Policy

Hotel Placements
Notification Requirements
Children Traveling with Care Providers
Hiring Care Providers

Hotel Placements

The hotel placement policy below was initially implemented in August 2007 subject to a review. The final version was approved on April 9, 2009. It applies to all children in care (see Case Categories in Section 1.7.1, Service Records).

HOTEL PLACEMENT – PROVINCIAL STANDARD
Hotels will not be used as placements for children by agencies of the child and family services system except in the case of the following exceptional circumstances:

1. In the case of a flood, fire, other natural disasters or community crisis that require evacuation or removal from the residence to ensure the safety of children; or
2. In the case of a public health/personal, physical and/or mental health issue where the appropriate placement to accommodate the health condition is not immediately available; or
3. In the case of sibling groups where there is no other option to place the children together.

In these circumstances, the Agency(s) must secure child specific approval from their governing Authority prior to the placement of children in hotels. The Authority may delegate approval to the Executive Director of its Agency(s), but this power cannot be delegated to any other individual within an agency. The Authority or the delegated Agency Executive Director may approve up to 6 nights (in blocks not to exceed 3 nights each) in any 12 month period. Further nights would require daily approval from the Authority. The Authority must be notified in writing of an agency’s decision to utilize hotel placements under these criteria. Notification of hotel usage under this policy must be forwarded to the Child Protection Branch, who will authorize expenditures only for those placements that comply with this standard for hotel placements.
This applies to all children in care.

Notification Requirements

When notifying its governing authority and the Child Protection Branch, an agency must provide sufficient information for the authority to authorize the placement and for the branch to reimburse the agency such as:

• names and birthdates
• care status under The Child and Family Services Act
• placement information and dates

Agencies may find it useful to use the Child Care Instruction Sheet for notification purposes. This form is available through the Child and Family Services Information System and the Child Protection Branch.

Children Traveling with Care Providers

Policy in this section relating to the use of hotels does not apply to children in care who are traveling with an agency care provider such as a foster parent, place-of-safety parent, agency staff or hired escort for a specific purpose such as a family visit, medical appointment, pre-placement visit or vacation.

Hiring Care Providers

All child care workers hired or contracted to provide child care undergo criminal record and child abuse registry checks as required under section 3 of the Child and Family Services Regulation. At least two positive character references are also obtained.
When contracting with another organization, commercial or non-profit, to provide place of safety services, an agency ensures that recruitment and hiring practices of that organization are consistent with agency procedures.
This policy does not apply to the use of babysitters by foster and place-of-safety parents (see Child Care Support in Section 1.5.5, Support and Respite).

Standards

1. Placing Children in Hotels and Motels – An agency complies with the policies in this manual section regarding the use of hotels (including motels) for the emergency placement of children in care.